Generally, there has been known to public a cylinder lock adopting a key-change system with such feature that with respect to a cylinder lock through which a contractor (in charge of interior works for a plurality of dwellings during construction of collective or assembly dwellings such as rental apartment houses, hotels, or the like) locks up all the dwellings, etc, by use of a construction key, the construction key is made to be no longer usable when a dweller of the dwelling is set and even once locks or unlocks the cylinder lock by using a key (a “child” key) to be exclusively used by the dweller, or with such another feature that in case that the dweller loses a child key or changes with a different dweller, when the cylinder lock is locked or unlocked by use of a forthcoming second, third, or forthcoming [[---]] fresh child key (ordinarily called “change-key”), the change key previously used is made no longer usable.
For example, a cylinder lock disclosed in the patent document 1 (Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. SHO 64-37867 official gazette) is so structured that an auxiliary tumbler is interposed between an upper tumbler in the outer cylinder and a lower tumbler in the inner cylinder, and there is formed a pocket on the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder at a position corresponding to the upper tumbler's chamber when the inner cylinder is turned. And for a key-change, the inner cylinder is turned by use of a fresh key to cause the auxiliary tumbler to be accommodated into the pocket on the inner cylinder, so that the cylinder lock is brought into such state that the cylinder lock is not capable of being unlocked with the previously used key and is able to be locked and unlocked by use only of the fresh key. The cylinder lock of the patent document 1 has a problem that the auxiliary tumbler once accommodated into the pocket formed on the inner cylinder is permanently accommodated in the pocket and cannot be returned to its previous situation.
The patent document 2 (Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. HEI 4-4165 official gazette) discloses a cylinder lock which has an object to return the auxiliary tumbler to its previous situation, namely, to bring the auxiliary tumbler into a reset state. The cylinder lock of the patent document 2 is characterized in that a state that the auxiliary tumbler is interposed between the upper tumbler in the outer cylinder and the lower tumbler in the inner cylinder is changed over to a key-change state by moving the auxiliary tumbler aside from between the upper tumblers and the lower tumblers, and moreover, the auxiliary tumbler in the key-change state is returned to between the upper tumblers and the lower tumblers, namely, to the previous state, i.e., the reset state. To return to the previous state means that a key having been used is changed to a fresh key, so that the lock is brought into a state that it cannot be locked/unlocked with the “old” key having been used, and thereafter, the old key having been used is again made usable.
However, the cylinder lock of the patent document 2 is so structured that the auxiliary tumbler is moved away to outside and returned from the outside by use of an exclusively usable jig. And the auxiliary tumbler itself is quite a small part. Thus, the cylinder lock has a problem that the operation of moving away and returning the auxiliary tumbler is too much troublesome and fine working for amateur users.
A novel cylinder lock which is structured as not removing the auxiliary tumbler to outside but is enabled to perform the foregoing key-change is a subject matter of patent application filed by this Applicant on Nov. 25, 2005 under patent application No. 2005-341287 (Patent Document 3).
The present invention is a further improvement of the cylinder lock of the patent document 3. Thus, first, the cylinder lock of the invention of the previous application will be explained with referring to FIGS. 20 through 27 as attached. The cylinder lock of the previous application has a reset state (in which the cylinder lock can be locked or unlocked with a plurality of change-keys) and a set state (that the cylinder lock in the reset state is newly “set” to be locked or unlocked by use of a single change-key), so that when the key is to be changed to any other change-key, the cylinder lock is first returned to the reset state with operation from the outside and then set to a state for an other change-key.
FIG. 20 is a front view of a cylinder lock of the invention of the previous application (the patent document 3), FIG. 21 a sectional view taken in the line Z1-Z1 in FIG. 20, FIG. 22 a sectional view taken in the line Z2-Z2 in FIG. 20, FIG. 23 a sectional view taken in the line Z3-Z3 in FIG. 20, FIG. 24 a sectional view taken in the lines D2-D2, and E-F in FIGS. 21, 22, FIG. 25(A) a side view of an inner cylinder 400, FIG. 25(B) a front view of the inner cylinder 400, and FIG. 25(C) a sectional view taken the line Z3-Z3 in FIG. 25(B).
FIGS. 21 through 25 each show the reset state of the cylinder lock 100 of the invention of the previous application (the patent document 3). The cylinder lock 100 comprises an outer cylinder 200 (having a plurality of upper pin chambers A1-X1 in its longitudinal direction), an inner cylinder 400 (fit into the outer cylinder 200 in such manner as being able to freely rotate and having a key way 300 and a plurality of lower pin chambers A2-X2 corresponding to the upper pin chambers A1-X1 of the outer cylinder 200), and, upper tumblers A3-X3 and lower tumblers A4-X4 each fit into respective column A-X formed by the upper pin chambers A1-X1 and lower pin chambers A2-X2. Interposed between the upper tumblers and lower tumblers is an auxiliary tumbler 700 so that when a shear line SL set on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 200 and the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 400 corresponds to either a boundary line between the auxiliary tumbler 700 and the bottom of upper tumbler or a boundary line between the auxiliary tumbler 700 and the lower tumbler, the cylinder lock can be locked or unlocked by a key's operation for the inner cylinder 400 with respect to the outer cylinder 200. Such auxiliary tumblers 700 are arranged between the ten upper tumblers (E3, F3, I3, K3, L3, N3, O3, Q3, U3, W3) and the ten lower tumblers (E4, F4, I4, K4, L4, N4, O4, Q4, U4, W4) placed in the columns E, F, I, K, L, N, O, Q, U, W as shown in FIG. 22 (in the cylinder lock 100 of the invention of the previous application, Patent document 3).
The boundary line at the upper side or lower side of the ten auxiliary tumblers 700 is brought to correspond to the shear line SL. Otherwise, the auxiliary tumblers 700 are moved aside to cause the boundary line between the upper tumblers and the lower tumblers to correspond with the shear line SL, so that the cylinder lock may be locked or unlocked with a key's operation for the inner cylinder 400 with respect to the outer cylinder 200. Accordingly, a plurality of patterns of shapes of key serration to correspond to the shear line SL can be set, whereby a plural kinds of keys are made usable as adaptable keys. And by a predetermined operation from the outside, one or more of a plurality of auxiliary tumblers 700 positioned between the upper tumblers and the lower tumblers is/are moved aside, so that the cylinder lock can be set as to be locked or unlocked by use of a specific key.
The auxiliary tumblers 700 moved from between the upper and the lower tumblers are placed into accommodation pockets PE, PF, PI, PK, PL, PN, PO, PQ, PU, PW for the auxiliary tumblers 700 formed in the inner cylinder 400 as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24. The auxiliary tumblers 700 placed in the accommodation pockets are kept as they are in the state until a resetting operation from the outside is carried out. The auxiliary tumblers 700 are made of a metal material having anti-corrosion properties and formed in the shape of a ball.
The accommodation pockets (PB, PC, PE, PF, PH, PI, PK, PL, PN, PO, PQ, PR, PT, PU, PW, PX) are formed, as shown in FIGS. 23-25, with cylindrical holes (PB1, PC1, PE1, PF1, PH1, PI1, PK1, PL1, PN1, PO1, PQ1, PR1, PT1, PU1, PW1, PX1) each having a shape of genuine circularity and formed at a fixed distance and in two lines on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular shaped inner cylinder 400, and roots (PB2, PC2, PE2, PF2, PH2, PI2, PK2, PL2, PN2, PO2, PQ2, PR2, PT2, PU2, PW2, PX2) of a resetting member 900 arranged in the inner cylinder and having serrated edge.
The resetting member 900 is arranged in a manner of being able to slide in a pair of grooves 400A which extends through the cylindrical holes (PB1, PC1, PE1, PF1, PH1, PI1, PK1, PL1, PN1, PO1, PQ1, PR1, PT1, PU1, PW1, PX1) and is formed continuously longitudinally of the inner cylinder 400.
Also, the resetting member 900 has crests between the adjoining roots (PB2, PC2, PE2, PF2, PH2, PI2, PK2, PL2, PN2, PO2, PQ2, PR2, PT2, PU2, PW2, PX2) in such manner that in a normal situation, the roots are aligned with the cylindrical holes (PB1, PC1, PE1, PF1, PH1, PI1, PK1, PL1, PN1, PO1, PQ1, PR1, PT1, PU1, PW1, PX1) thanks to an urging force of a spring 900A.
Next, with referring to FIG. 26 in which a change key CK is inserted into a key way 300 (in the resetting state shown in FIG. 24), operation for setting the change key CK as an adaptable key will be explained. To be noted is that in the reset state shown in FIGS. 22 and 24, any one of all of the plural change keys CK is able to be set as an adaptable key. When one change key CK is once set as the adaptable key, the remaining change keys are not able to lock or unlock the cylinder lock without carrying out the resetting operation. Carrying out the resetting operation enables previously prepared other change keys CK to be set as the adaptable key.
(1) In the resetting state, when a specific change key CK is intended to be set as an adaptable key, at first, the change key CK is inserted into a key hole 300 of the cylinder lock 100 in the reset state as shown in FIG. 24, so that serration of the inserted change key CK pushes the lower tumblers E4 and F4 in the directions indicated by the arrows in FIG. 26, whereby providing such situation that the boundary line between the auxiliary tumbler 700 and the upper tumbler F3 corresponds to the shear line SL, and that between the auxiliary tumbler 700 and the lower tumbler E4 to the shear line SL. Accordingly, for each of a plurality of change keys CK each having different serration, the auxiliary tumblers 700 are arranged placed in the upper pin chamber A1-X1 or lower tumbler bore A2-X2 through the shear line SL in the columns A-X in which the auxiliary tumblers 700 are interposed. In the exemplified previous application's invention, the auxiliary tumblers 700 are interposed to exist in ten columns E, F, I, K, L, N, O, Q, U, and W.
(2) Next, when the change key CK in the state of being inserted into the key way 300 is turned clockwise a degrees (45°) as shown in FIG. 26, the auxiliary tumbler 700 (which has been shifted across the shear line SL to the side of the upper tumbler bore E1 with insertion of the change key CK into the key hole 300 and function of the serration and surface figuration of the change key CK) keeps the position in the upper tumbler bore E1, so that when the accommodation pocket PE is aligned with the upper tumbler bore E1, the auxiliary tumbler 700 is moved thanks to elasticity of a spring urging the upper tumbler E3 in the direction of projecting to thereby be accommodated into the accommodation pocket PE (as the state shown by two-dots chain line in FIG. 26). Meanwhile, another auxiliary tumbler 700 remaining in the lower tumbler bore F2 of the inner cylinder 400 without moving across the shear line SL rotates together with the inner cylinder 400.
FIG. 27(A) is a partially cut out sectional view of the principal part showing such state that the accommodation pockets are aligned with the upper pin chambers and the auxiliary tumblers 700 which moved across the shear line SL to the upper pin chamber are immediately before being substantially accommodated into the accommodation pockets, FIG. 27(B) a partially cut out sectional view of the principal part showing the auxiliary tumblers placed in the accommodation pockets, and FIG. 27(C) a partially cut out sectional view of the principal part showing the auxiliary tumblers being pushed up by the reset member which is pressed with a control member.
As shown in FIGS. 27(A),27(B), with the serration and surface figuration of the change key CK, the auxiliary tumblers 700 are pushed to the side of the upper pin chambers E1, N1, Q1. And the inner cylinder 400 is rotated a degrees to cause the auxiliary tumblers 700 to be accommodated into the accommodation pockets PE, PN, PQ.
As foregoing, the change key CK is inserted into the key way 300 and rotated α degrees clockwise. All the auxiliary tumblers 700 which pushed to the upper pin chamber side with function of the serration and surface figuration of the change key CK are placed into the corresponding accommodation pockets. Then in this state, the change key CK is turned counterclockwise a degrees and pulled out. By this, this change key CK is set as an adaptable key which is able to lock and unlock the cylinder lock.
In this “set” state, three auxiliary tumblers 700 positioned at the columns E, N, Q, as shown in FIG. 22 (a sectional view taken in the line Z2-Z2 in FIG. 20), are moved aside and accommodated into the accommodation pockets, while in the rest state, all of the auxiliary tumblers 700 (which not pushed to the upper pin chamber side by the serration and surface figuration of a change key CK to be set) remain in the columns.
(3) Next, with referring to FIG. 27(B), explanation will be made regarding operation for returning from the state that the above-mentioned change key CK was set as an adaptable key to the reset state in which any other change key CK is able to be set as an adaptable key.
By the way, as foregoing, the reset member 900 has crests between the adjoining roots (PB2, PC2, PE2, PF2, PH2, PI2, PK2, PL2, PN2, PO2, PQ2, PR2, PT2, PU2, PW2, PX2). A gentle tapered part is formed between each crest and each root (PB2, PC2, PE2, PF2, PH2, PI2, PK2, PL2, PN2, PO2, PQ2, PR2, PT2, PU2, PW2, PX2).
In the set state shown in FIG. 27(B), with the change key being inserted, as seen in FIG. 27(C), a push-out pin 911 of a control member 910 is inserted into a reset pin insertion bore 900B, the push-out pin 911 having a cross-section smaller than that of the reset pin insertion bore 900B. With that the pin 911 end continues pushing the reset member 900 against elasticity of the spring 900A, all the auxiliary tumblers 700 accommodated in the accommodation pockets PE, PN, PQ are, along the tapered parts formed on the reset member 900, pushed upward together with the upper tumblers E3, N3, Q3 against an urging force of the upper tumbler springs by means of the tapered parts of the reset member 900 through movement of the reset member 900 in the direction of its getting-inward (leftward in FIG. 27(C)) by the control member 910. And, in the state that the reset member 900 does completely get inward as seen in FIG. 27(C), the auxiliary tumblers 700 push up the upper tumblers E3, N3, Q3, by means of the crests formed between the roots PB2, - - - PX2, against the urging force of the upper tumbler spring, so that the auxiliary tumblers 700 move from the accommodation pockets PE, PN, PQ in the upper pin chambers E1, N1, Q1 to be accommodated there.
With keeping the state, the control member 910 with the change key are turned counterclockwise a degrees and then pulled out, whereby bringing about the reset state. Namely, the auxiliary tumblers 700 once placed in the accommodation pockets PE, PN, PQ return to the initial state shown in FIG. 22.    Patent Document 1: Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. SHO 64-37867 official gazette    Patent Document 2: Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. HEI 4-4165 official gazette    Patent Document 3: Previous Patent Application No. 2005-341287 (not yet published)